Anime Review #1 Winx Club: World of Winx

New look to the Winx!

 November 2016, on Netflix, by Rainbow, Magical Girl anime, English version, 9/10E & 10/10E

So far I've watched up to episode 6. I initially wasn't going to watch this at all, because from the clips and graphics I'd seen it didn't look my style. It's a different style to the main Winx show, not as cute looking. 

Here are the girls about to transform to Mythix fairies! season 6

 

Closeup of the girls' faces in season 6 (Bloomix power)

However, I saw it on Netflix so figured I'd give it a go. I was hooked! The only issue is the graphics, as the new style makes the girls look really mean a lot of the time, which isn't fun to see. The opening song suggests a lighter show, which it isn't. Yes there is the usual humour (got to love Stella!), and some say this is better than series 5-7 which apparently 'lost' the feel of the original characters. I have to disagree with that completely, the girls always remain themselves, yes sometimes they were slightly different to earlier seasons but they are growing up and experiencing different things, so of course they are going to act differently. 

Stella in WoW with her magical sewing thingy which I've no idea how she explains it works to human. She doesn't look quite like the Stella I'm used to (that's accounting for all the style changes through seasons 1-7)

Plus, and I realise a lot of people can only watch the English version, but I think the French version is better, preserving the original feel of the Italian show. I saw both French and English version of seasons 5-7 (not all the seasons but enough episodes to form this opinion). The English version changes the feel of the girls. Stella doesn't feel like Stella, the words that get used in the English version completely change the feel of the show compared to the French one (there's one I distinctly remember in season 6 where a remark gets made about a mobile with connection to the web, and the English version was less Winx-like than the French version). 

 

Bloom with Kiko (season 6 or 7)

So for me World of Winx is a great show, I can see how it is pitched to an older audience (less cute transformations, no pixies, no cute animal companions, NO KIKO! It is so weird seeing Bloom without Kiko! I mean I know she's travelling, but Kiko adds a lot of humour to the show, and I'm sure he'd have his uses). I realise she is undercover but she never even sees her adoptive parents either, and they live in Gardenia (so why people don't recognise them as fairies is an indication it's an alternate dimension of Winx Club)

New WoW transformation!

Graphics and darker themes aside, as ever Winx shows are pure coolness! The Dreamix transformation gives me shivers as every single Winx transformation does, although compared with the original show I'd really like more flourish with the magic, with different spells named rather than just the magic aimed at creatures. I enjoyed the action the girls get involved with, it's in keeping with where their magical and non-magical training was by season 7 (they are highly athletic) and when they have to hide their magic they come up with fun alternatives, like climbing walls and ceilings with special sucker thingies instead of just flying up and over them. 

I'm glad I read about the series before I watched it, otherwise I'd have been completely clueless about the villains in the show (a crocodile like monster and a mysterious clock). I know this plot will get unravelled, but I'm more intrigued knowing it's to do with a Peter Pan themed tale than being in ignorance. I was a bit unsure about the second talent they find, because the boy involved seems to be erring on the malicious side of his natural gift, but Tecna in particular helps lead him to the right path. 

WoW Leila/Ayesha (she is Leila in most of the French series), Stella, Musa

All in all World of Winx is a hit with me, I won't mind too much about not being able to see it for a while once my Netflix subscription expires at the start of December because I do prefer the original series. I will eventually get it if it comes out on dvd (if it does it'll be the French version, as season 7 doesn't seem to be out in English on dvd yet). I'm looking forward to seeing the French version of it too!) 

Edited after to add: Have watched the entire season, looking forward to season 2. It was clever, especially the twists at the end. Will watch again but not for a while.  

Suggested watch

Check out my review of Winx Season 6!  

Here's the Winx, plus Daphne (far right) who helps the Winx but isn't completely a member.